Lynbrook's A la Carte Cooks Christmas Eve Feast

As Christmas wreaths appear and the wattage from lawn decorations illuminates the streets and avenues, the signal has been given to plan the holiday season's cooking.

Lynbrooks's  Cooking School  presented an Italian Christmas Eve cooking class Tuesday night to fine tune cooking skills for the upcoming feast. Traditional foods with a gourmet twist were prepared by 25 students who signed up for this popular annual class. 

The dishes included stuffed artichokes, mushrooms and clams; sicilian rice balls; baked stuffed lobster; marinara sauce; Italian fish salad; fried shrimp; sauteed escarole; and homemade cannolis.

Polly Talbot, A la Carte's proprietor, dished up great recipes and richly tasty ingredients. The six lobsters, several octopi and squids, five dozen clams, a basket of artichokes, and bowls of escarole were transformed into delicious holiday fare. Following the preparation, all students were invited to taste the products of their hard work at the cooking school's beautifully set tables, each highlighted by the placement of red poinsettias.

 The smells of broiling, baking, roasting, and sauteeing filled the five cooking stations as small mistakes and large successes were analyzed, applauded and appreciated. A tasty appetizer platter of fried shrimp was passed around before the dinner was completed.

There are many more classes being held this winter. For more information, visit the group's website or call (516) 599-2922.